25th may, 2024.

7:55 pm. (ist)

on the dimly lit airplane, kasturie found herself surrounded by teammates, each engrossed in their own conversations and activities. she sat between jasprit bumrah and ravindra jadeja, their discussions ranging from cricket strategies to light-hearted banter.

bumrah, known for his calm demeanor off the field, turned to kasturie with a friendly smile. "toh kasturie, upcoming tournament ke baare mein kya soch rahi ho?"

kasturie returned the smile, grateful for the distraction. "excited aur thoda nervous bhi, sach kahu toh. i know this is not the first time I'm playing on international level, but still bohot kuch depend karta hai ispe."

jadeja chimed in, his eyes twinkling mischievously. "aur 'fake relationship' ka drama? woh kaisa chal raha hai?"

kasturie chuckled softly, feeling a mix of amusement and apprehension. "oh, aapne bhi suna? thoda ajeeb lag rha hai, yeh sab."

bumrah raised an eyebrow in curiosity. "ajeeb kaise?"

kasturie hesitated for a moment, unsure how much to reveal. "well, shubman aur maine masti masti mein decide kiya tha ki hum fake date karenge, lekin ab... complicated ho gaya hai."

jadeja nodded knowingly. "complicated kaise?"

kasturie glanced towards shubman and ishan a few rows ahead, engaged in a discussion of their own. "exactly pata nahi. bas... itna time saath mein, fake relationship mein, lines blur hone lagte hain."

bumrah listened attentively, his gaze thoughtful. "aur tum shubman ke liye kya feel karti ho?"

kasturie sighed softly, trying to articulate her emotions. "merko lagta hai... kuch toh hai. kya hai pata nahi, but hai. shayad sirf yeh situation hai ya phir sach mein kuch hai."

jadeja nudged her playfully. "shayad tumhe usse baat karni chahiye. sab clear kar do, tab tak ki problems badh jaye."

meanwhile, in the row ahead, ishan leaned towards shubman with a knowing grin. "bhai, tera aur kasturie ka definitely fake dating se jyada kuch toh chalu hai. kab confess karoge?"

shubman ran a hand through his hair, his expression conflicted. "ishan, main complications nahi chahta. humne yeh sab sirf mazak ke liye kiya tha, aur ab... mujhe samajh nahi aa raha kya karna chahiye."

ishan chuckled softly. "well, ab toh samajh lo, bro. isse pehle ki koi aur aake usko bhaga le jaaye, do something ."

back with kasturie and jadeja, the conversation had turned to lighter topics again, but an unspoken tension lingered in the air. kasturie glanced at shubman once more, her heart racing with unspoken words and unacknowledged feelings.

as the airplane journey continued into the night, amidst the camaraderie and laughter of the team, kasturie and shubman wrestled with their emotions, each silently hoping for a moment of clarity amidst the chaos of their fake relationship.

the t20 world cup awaited them, promising challenges and triumphs, but for now, their hearts remained entangled in an unspoken dance of feelings and denial.

🕸️

26th may, 2024.

5:17 am. (est)

the indian cricket team finally touched down in new york, the city buzzing with its usual energy. as they exited jfk airport, the players took in the vibrant skyline, a mixture of exhaustion and excitement on their faces. the team bus whisked them away to their hotel in manhattan, where they would be staying during the tournament.

after a short drive, they arrived at a luxurious hotel, its grand lobby welcoming them with opulent decor and a friendly staff. the team manager handled the check-in process while the players marveled at their surroundings.

shubman, kasturie, ishan, virat, and rohit received their room keys and made their way to the elevators. surprisingly, their rooms were on the same floor. shubman couldn't help but notice kasturie's enthusiasm as she chatted animatedly with jadeja and bumrah. meanwhile, sara tendulkar, who had accompanied her father and the team for support, followed closely behind.

once in his room, shubman took a moment to appreciate the view of the city from his window. the room was spacious, with modern amenities and a comfortable bed that looked inviting after the long flight. he unpacked his essentials and freshened up before heading to towards the bed to get some sleep.

🕸️

2:43 pm. (est)

in the morning, well not exactly, they all got ready and headed to the lounge where the team had planned to meet.

the lounge was cozy, with plush sofas and a warm ambiance. shubman arrived to find the team already gathered, a relaxed atmosphere settling in as they chatted and laughed.

rohit sharma, always the team leader, was the first to speak. "alright, everyone. we've had a long journey, so let's just take it easy today. jaao jaake new york ghumke aao, but jyada nahi. kal se practice hai."

kasturie, seated between virat and ishan, smiled. "woah, let's go see time square. last time jab ayi thi yaha tab jaane ko nhi mila merko. waise bhi kal se practice shuru hogi so hume jaaneko nhi milega."

bumrah grinned. "toh sab eksaath jaaye?"

ishan chimed in, "count me in! new york ka pizza bhi khayenge."

as the team discussed their plans for the day, shubman found himself drawn into the camaraderie, his earlier unease melting away. he noticed sara sitting across from him, catching her eye. she smiled warmly, and he nodded back, feeling a bit more at ease.

virat, with his usual energy, suggested, "why don't we split into groups? waise sabko jo karna hai woh karne milega. some can explore, some can relax here."

"tum sab ko jo karna hai karo, main to jaa rha time square." kasturie stood up and announced playfully.

the room erupted in laughter, the tension from the travel fading into the background.

shubman ended up in a group with kasturie, rohit, virat, and ishan. as they stepped out into the lively streets of new york, he felt a renewed sense of excitement. the city's lights and sounds enveloped them, creating a perfect backdrop for the evening.

kasturie turned to shubman, her eyes sparkling. "ready for an adventure, shubi?"

he smiled, feeling a warmth spread through him. "as always." he winked.

the group wandered through times square, marveling at the giant screens and the bustling crowd. they snapped pictures, tried street food, and enjoyed each other's company. shubman felt a sense of contentment, he had a deep appreciation for these moments with his teammates.

as the night wore on, they found a cozy diner and settled in for some classic new york pizza.

rohit took a bite of his pizza slice "yeh pizza toh bohot woh hai!"

kasturie laughed. "haa na. apne yaha aise pizzey bohot rarely aur mehenge milte hai."

"khaa lo, khaa lo aaj ke din jitna junk food khaana hai khaa lo." virat said looking at kasturie and shubman.

"haa kal se grind back on. itna bhagaunga na tum log ko." rohit laughed.

"mujhe kya, main toh khel bhi nhi rha hu." ishan shrugged and kasturie glared at him.

"kya rohit dada, aise darao mat yaar." kasturie said taking a sip of her coke.

"acha theeke, nhi bhagaunga, bas?" rohit said.

"ha pata hai aap yeh bas humare mann ki shanti ke liye bol rhe ho. aap bhagane wale toh ho hi." kasturie pouted.

"ha chal ab jyada bak bak mat kar, khaa le pet bhar ke." virat said while laughing at her reaction.

between bites, they shared stories and laughed, the bond between them growing stronger with each passing minute.

as they were finishing up, virat leaned back and said, "guys, this is exactly what we needed. toofan se pehle thodi si shaanti."

"haa, bhai. aur kal se sirf game mode mein." ishan said.

"tu team pe bhi nhi hai bro." kasturie laughed.

"ha pata hai. baar baar yaad dilaneki jaroorat nhi hai." ishan huffed. everyone laughed at them.

when they finally returned to the hotel, tired but happy, shubman realized that this trip was about more than just cricket. it was about friendship, support, and the shared experiences that made them a team. and with that thought, he drifted off to sleep, ready to face whatever the tournament had in store for them.

🕸️

27th may, 2024.

1:37 am. (est)

the indian cricket team's first night in new york had been filled with laughter and camaraderie. as they returned to the hotel after their evening out, everyone seemed ready to collapse into bed. everyone, that is, except for kasturie.

lying in her bed, kasturie stared at the ceiling, her mind a whirlpool of thoughts and emotions. she couldn't stop thinking about shubman, the way his eyes lit up when he smiled, and the quiet intensity that seemed to draw her in. their fake dating arrangement was supposed to be fun and simple, but it had turned into something much more complicated.

turning over, she sighed, frustrated at her inability to sleep. images of their time together flashed through her mind - their first public date, the secret looks they exchanged, and the laughter they shared with their teammates. she couldn't help but wonder if shubman felt the same way or if she was the only one caught in this confusing web of emotions.

"yaar shubi, kya chal rha hai tera? kya kar rha hai tu? yeh sab complicated kyu lag rha hai?" she whispered to herself.

the room was silent, offering no answers to her questions. she got up and walked to the window, looking out at the city that never slept. the lights of new york seemed to mirror the chaos in her heart.

earlier in the day, during their walk through times square, she had caught herself stealing glances at shubman. every time he laughed or smiled, her heart seemed to skip a beat. but she was unsure if these feelings were reciprocated or if they were merely the byproduct of their pretend relationship.

"kya yeh sab sach mein sirf mazak hai? ya phir ismein kuch sachayi bhi hai?" kasturie's subconscious mind spoke.

their situation was further complicated by the presence of sara tendulkar. though sara was there as a friend and supporter (or so they thought), kasturie couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy whenever shubman interacted with her. It was irrational, she knew, but emotions rarely made sense.

she thought back to the moments they had shared, the way shubman had looked at her during dinner, the way he seemed to understand her without words. could it be that he was as confused as she was?

"shubi, agar tum sirf yeh khel nahi khel rahe hote, toh kya hota?" kasturie sighed

she knew she needed to focus on the upcoming tournament, but her heart and mind were entangled in thoughts of shubman. she couldn't deny the growing feelings she had for him, even though they had started this whole thing as a joke.

as the night wore on and the city outside continued its endless hustle, kasturie made a decision. she needed to talk to shubman, to find out if he felt the same way. only then could she hope to find some clarity and perhaps, a chance at something real.

after a while of thinking, she decided to post something on instagram.

after posting, she finally lay back down, willing her mind to quiet so she could get some rest. tomorrow would bring new challenges, both on and off the field, and she needed to be ready for whatever came next.

kasturiepatil diet mountain dew baby, new york city 🌆

@shubmangill @ishankishan23

pc : my dearest shubie<3

comments

user72737 : cutiesss

user83839 : kasturie aur shubman ka pakka kuch chal rha hai. bata nhi rhe sirf

user3838 : ishan as always the third wheel

user383893 : kastu and shubi = parents of ishan

user939393 : world cup leke aana, best of luck sab ko

user93939 : power couple

user83939 : 'my dearest shubie<3' 😭😭😭

user3839 : sara bhi toh new york mein hai

user93930 : kuch bhi ho jaye, shubsara forever

user293993 : guys it's their personal matter, let them live. they'll say something about their relationship when they want to

🕸️

a/n : jab lec boring ho tab mera dimaag aisi cheezon mein jyada creative ho jaata hai. wrote this in sociology lec. new achievement unlocked, after ages, i attended all the lectures in a day without bunking any. woah. so proud of myself.

aaj ke liye itna hi. kal milte hai. aaj humari match hai guys. ganpati bappa morya. hopefully humari winning streak maintained rhe. no nazar please.

peace out.
~k.